Letters to the editor: Nov. 19

Tuesday, Nov. 13, members of the House Health Committee voted 11-9 along party lines to pass House Bill 298, the clear purpose of which is to de-fund Planned Parenthood in Ohio.

Despite testimony from doctors, clergy, rape survivors and advocates, social workers and others -- all in opposition to the bill -- it now heads to the full House of Representatives for a vote.

Planned Parenthood is the main gynecological resource for people who cannot afford services otherwise. De-funding Planned Parenthood would lead to more unwanted pregnancies, abortions, children raised on welfare and in hunger because their parents could not afford to have them in the first place.

Birth control is what will lead to fewer abortions, not de-funding the only place many can go to get birth control. Do you think your "personal" economy is safe? Do you live paycheck to paycheck? Is your house in foreclosure? What would an unplanned pregnancy do to your life?

We need to support Planned Parenthood because these people are the first line of defense for so many women who are conscientious and who want to prevent a pregnancy. Take this away and watch our welfare costs rise, pay more as a tax-payer to then fund our welfare programs, food programs and Medicaid for those who cannot afford it.

There will be more people in need if this bill passes, and guess who gets to pay for it? You and I. We all need to take a stand against the de-funding of Planned Parenthood, or I guarantee you, it will cost you and I more in the long run.

Call Governor Kasich at 614-466-3555 to tell him what you think. Make a stand for your state and all those who live here, not just the wealthy or well-off. Those who suffer in poverty are people as well.

Vanessa Thomas

Wooster

Take warning

to heart

Editor:

The article by John Fitzpatrick of the Wayne County Farm Bureau in the Oct. 30 issue of The Daily Record ("Which family member gets to eat today?") is one every citizen should read and take to heart.

Two key points are made: 1). increasing world population and decreasing amount of arable land due to encroachment of urban areas onto tillable land is becoming limiting for enough land to produce food for all people; and 2). increasing pressure from some to reject using scientific advances to maximize efficiency and yield of food. Two examples of the latter are the movement to "organic" food production, and the rejection of using recombinant bovine somatotropin (rBST) for increased efficiency of milk production.

Organic farming rejects use of improved seeds, fertilizers and pest control, resulting in reduced yields and increased costs of foods, and compromising quality without increasing safety of the food supply. Using rBST for milk production increases milk yield approximately 15 percent, without a corresponding increase in feed consumption. Such practice reduces inputs (land, feed) 15 percent and decreases waste (manure, methane) by a similar amount.

This is accomplished without any compromise in animal health, quality or safety of the milk supply. Thus, using rBST not only increases efficiency of food production, it is environmentally friendly. Nevertheless, pressure from narrow self-interest groups have severely reduced the use of rBST for milk production.

It is important people take seriously Mr. Fitzpatrick's warning, that rejecting sound scientific advances in food production seriously compromises ability to produce food for the world's burgeoning population.

Donald Palmquist

Wooster

Cooperation, compromise is needed

Editor:

An open letter to the national leaders of both the Republican and Democratic parties:

During the later years of President Clinton's second term, the Republicans and Democrats in Congress got together and worked out the necessary plans for a balanced budget. In fact, those plans provided for a budget surplus for several years including the first year of President George W. Bush's presidency in 2001.

What our country needs today is that same kind of cooperation and compromise between Democrats and Republicans to once again achieve a balanced budget. It might even be possible to use the similar plan that was used back then. After such a plan is enacted it must be supported by American citizens to once again correct our current system of spending money which we do not have.